Pliers with sliding jaw actuation by claw lever means



Nov. 8, 1966 T. NEFF 3,283,623

PLIERS WITH SLIDING JAW ACTUATION BY CLAW LEVER MEANS Filed Jan. 15, 1965 T E D NE F F INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,283,623 PLIERS WITH SLIDING JAW ACTUATION BY CLAW LEVER MEANS Ted Nelf, 12975 Shamrock Ave., San Bernardino, Calif. Filed Jan. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 425,872 2 Claims. (Cl. 81360) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 262,727, filed Mar. 4, 1963 (now abandoned), for Hand Tools.

This invention relates to hand tools in general, and more particularly to a combination tool designed primarily for use of firemen in their fire fighting operations.

During the course of a fire, a fireman has occasions to use several different hand tools as various situations present themselves. Not being able to predict which tools will be needed beforehand, and being already weighted down with heavy firemans clothing as well as hose coupling tool, flashlight, etc., the number and variety of tools a fireman can carry on his person is necessarily limited. Therefore, when a requirement for a tool which he is not carrying presents itself, the fireman must return to the fire truck for the required tool, thereby wasting valuable time that could be better used in fighting the fire.

A primary object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a combination of tools most frequently needed and which are provided in a single unitary device.

Another object, and a very important one, is to provide a means for quickly adjusting and readjusting the tool to different sized objects or workpieces without the tedious and time-consuming use of a common threaded knurl that is used in a majority of adjustable hand tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination tool having a compound leverage for gripping objects and workpieces, and when used as a wrench, it may be used with a continuous ratcheting motion to grip, release, and re-grip an object such as a nut, bolt, or pipe without removing the tool from the workpiece as succeeding turning motions are applied, thereby providing the same time-saving advantages of regular ratcheting tools such as a socket wrench with a ratcheting handle.

Further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangment of the various parts, and construction of the invention as will be apparent from the specification and illustrations wherein like reference numerals designate like parts.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the hand tool in its preferred form;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of an edge of the tool, but shown in reduced size;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of just the top portion of the tool with a part broken away.

Referring now to the drawings, the device is shown as having the body section with a fixed jaw part 11 and a handle 12 integral therewith. Fixed jaw 11 has a working surface 13 with its outer portion containing a group of relatively small lateral serrations 14. Midway of surface 13 are a group of larger lateral serrations 15, said serrations forming gripping teeth such as are used on pipe wrenches and pliers. Extending at a 90 degree angle from the base of surface 13 is a rail section 16 having a flared portion uppermost thus presenting a cross section substantially in the form of the letter T; however, other forms may be employed.

Mounted on rail section 16 is a movable jaw 17 having a channel 18 running through its lower portion, said channel being complementarily formed in cross section to slidably encompass rail section 16 on body 10. Movable jaw 17 has a working surface 19 opposed to and facing working surface 13 on fixed jaw 11, said working surface Patented Nov. 8, 1966 19 having serrations 20 and 21 formed thereon in the same manner as serrations 14 and 15. Movable jaw 17 is retained on body section 10 and rail section 16 by elongated teeth or gear cogs 23 which, when handle 26 is swung to its maximum travel away from handle 12, will not clear gear rack 25 (see FIG. 4) and thereby prevents jaw 17 from sliding off of body 10 and becoming separated from the tool.

A series of teeth or gear cogs 24 are formed on the lower surface of movable jaw 17 as shown, and which extend downwardly on both sides of body 10, said gear cogs 24 being engaged and cooperating with similar gear cogs 25 extending upwardly from the upper end of a second handle 26. Handle 26 is pivotally mounted on body 10 by means of a pivot pin or rivet 27 extending laterally through handle 26 and the body 10. Handle 26 is bifurcated at its upper end down to a point which may be as designated by dotted line 28, thereby forming a yoke whose arms extend upward on both sides of body 10. Gear cogs 24 and 25, being split by means of channel 18 in said movable jaw 17 and said bifurcation in said handle 26 respectively, appear on both sides of body 10 thereby providing the means for applying equal pressure to movable jaw 17 when handle 26 is pivoted outwardly or inwardly. The movement of handle 26 to its maximum pivotable position away from handle 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1 will cause gear cogs 24 and 25 to become disengaged so that jaw 17 may be moved independently of handle 26 to a new position either inwardly or outwardly in relation to fixed jaw 11, thus providing a means for quickly adjusting the jaw-gap of the tool to accommodate and grip objects and workpieces of various sizes. When the desired adjustment is obtained, gear cogs 24 and 25 are then reengaged by moving handle 26 in a reverse direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow, thereby maintaining the selected jaw-gap until a readjustment is desired.

Formed on the opposite side of fixed jaw 11 remote from surface 13 is a circular protuberance 29 having an outwardly-facing flat surface 30, said flat surface providing a means for using the tool as a hammer. A hookshaped recess 31 in body 10 has a sharp edge providing a means for ripping out electrical wiring etc. Another recess 32 is provided and also recess 33 as a means for cutting wire when handles 12 and 26 are pressed together. The lower end of handle 12 is formed into a screwdriver blade 34. The lower end 35 of handle 26 is formed with a split to provide -a nail-puller and pry bar.

The compound leverage provided by pivoting handle 26 in combination with movable jaw 17 results in a high leverage ratio that cannot be equaled by direct simple leverage tools such as conventional pliers or other simple leverage gripping tools. Therefore, this combination tool is cap-able of a gripping power far beyond that required to maintain a firm grip on an object while maximum torque is being applied, thus eliminating the tendency of the handles to spread and thereby loosen the grip which would cause the tool to slip on an object or workpiece.

While this tool may have been primarily intended for use of firemen, it is obviously useful in other fields and trades.

One of the more novel and advantageous features that sets this tool apart from other conventional adjustable tools is that any given adjustment or setting of movable jaw 17 will cover several different sizes of objects and workpieces such as pipes, nuts, bolts etc. before the size range changes sufficiently to require a readjustment of jaw 17 to a new space setting. Also, when operating the tool as a wrench or plier, working surfaces 13 and 19 remain in parallel relationship to each other while the 3 gap between them is widened or narrowed by the pivoting of handle 26.

In operating the combination tool as a wrench or plier with a ratcheting action, and to bring into play the gripping function, the operator grips handles 12 and 26 tight- 1y together and turning motion is applied in the desired direction. Then, to obtain a new grip on an object or workpiece for succeeding turning motions, the hand grip is relaxed sufiiciently to allow the jaws of the tool to spread and slip around the object being turned and obtain a new grip without the necessity of removing the tool from the work. This ratchet-like operation is well known and familiar in general to everyone.

Certain novel features and details of this invention are disclosed herein, and in some cases in considerable detail, in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention, as disclosed, is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details disclosed since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1.-A tool substantially as described consisting of three major parts and one minor part, said first of the three major parts comprising a first handle having a top end thereof formed into a flat intermediate area and a first fixed jaw; a T-shaped rail means extending integrally from the inner end of the first jaw and positioned substantially at right angles thereto; the second of the three major parts consisting of a movable jaw with its lower section bifurcated by a T-shapecl channel therethrough, said movable jaw being slidably mounted on the T-shaped rail by means of said channel, a pair of gear racks along the bottom edges of the bifurcated sections, elongated portions formed at the inner ends of the gear racks to provide dual stop means cooperating with other stop means to prevent the second jaw from sliding otf the rail; the third of the three major parts consisting of a second pivoting handle having a head portion that is bifurcated to form extending arms straddling said flat area on said first handle, a pair of gear racks on the upper ends of the arms that are normally in mesh with the other mentioned gear racks on the second jaw; the mentioned minor part comprising a hinge pin hinging the two handles together in such a position that when the second handle is pivoted outwardly, the dual stop means on the second jaw, in cooperation with the other mentioned stop means, prevent the second jaw from becoming disengaged from the first handle, said other stop means comprising a stop crotch between the arms of the second handle which comes into contact against an edge of the fiat area on the first handle and limits the pivoting travel of the second handle at a predetermined point where the aforementioned dual stop means on the second jaw engage the rear edges of the head portion on the second handle and effectively block the second jaw from further outward movement but at the same time permits its free inward movement along the rail to any chosen position where the gears are then reengaged by an inward pivoting of the second handle.

2. In a tool consisting of three major parts which comprises a first and second handle means, and a shiftable jaw means along with a pivot means which join the handle means together, said first handle means having a top portion formed integrally into an intermediate fiat area and a fixed jaw extending therefrom, the fiat area having a T-shaped rail means extending integrally from the bottom end of the jaw substantially at right angles thereto for the purpose of tracking the shiftable jaw, the shiftable jaw having its lower section bifurcated by a T-shaped channel therethrough, said shiftable jaw being engaged by said T-shaped rail, a pair of gear racks along the bottom edges of the bifurcated sections, and elongated portions formed at the inner ends of the gear racks to provide dual stop means and prevent said shiftable jaw from becoming disengaged from the said T-shaped rail, the second of said major parts consisting of the pivoted handle means having a head portion that is bifurcated to form extending arms straddling the fiat area on the first handle means, a stop crotch between said arms which engages a portion of the first handle means to act in cooperation with a stop means on the shiftable jaw means to prevent said shiftable jaw from becoming disengaged from said first handle means, and a hinge pin comprising the minor part for hinging the two handle means together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 150,156 7/1948 Neil.

623,337 5/1899 Rydberg 8139l X 1,393,399 10/1921 Schlehr 81-418 X 1,406,106 2/1922 Thueringer 8l360 X 1,508,213 9/1924 Brazeale 81-360 2,643,569 6/1953 Barnes 81-165 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

G. WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TOOL SUBSTANTIALLY AS DESCRIBED CONSISTING OF THREE MAJOR PARTS AND ONE MINOR PART, SAID FIRST OF THE THREE MAJOR PARTS COMPRISING A FIRST HANDLE A TOP END THEREOF FORMED INTO A FLAT INTERMEDIATE AREA AND A FIRST FIXED JAW; A T-SHAPED RAIL MEANS EXTENDING INTEGRALLY FROM THE INNER END OF THE FIRST JAW AND POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO; THE SECOND OF THE THREE MAJOR PARTS CONSISTING OF A MOVABLE JAW WITH ITS LOWER SECTION BIFURCATED BY A T-SHAPED CHANNEL THERETHROUGH, SAID MOVABLE JAW BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE T-SHAPED RAIL BY MEANS OF SAID CHANNEL, A PAIR OF GEAR RACKS ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGES OF THEBIFURCATED SECTIONS, ELONGATED PORTIONS FORMED AT THE INNER ENDS OF THE GEAR RACKS TO PROVIDE DUAL STOP MEANS COOPERATING WITH OTHER STOP MEANS TO PREVENT THE SECOND JAW FROM SLIDING OFF THE RAIL; THE THIRD OF THE THREE MAJOR PARTS CONSISTING OF A SECOND PIVOTING HANDLE HAVING A HEAD PORTION THAT IS BIFURCATED TO FORM EXTENDING ARMS STRADDLING SAID FLAT AREA ON SAID FIRST HANDLE, A PAIR OF GEAR RACKS ON THE UPPER ENDS OF THE ARMS THAT ARE NORMALLY IN MESH WITH THE OTHER MENTIONED GEAR RACKS ON THE SECOND JAW; THE MENTIONED MINOR PART COMPRISING A HINGE PIN HINGING THE TWO HANDLES TOGETHER IN SUCH A POSITION THAT WHEN THE SECOND HANDLE IS PIVOTED OUTWARDLY, THE DUAL STOP MEANS ON THE SECOND JAW, IN COOPERATION WITH THE OTHER MENTIONED STOP MEANS, PREVENT THE SECOND JAW FROM BECOMING DISENGAGED FROM THE FIRST HANDLE, SAID OTHER STOP 